Article August 14, 1902 Issue

Among the Churches

with contributions from Henry Jewett, Mary Brookins, N. A. Hawes

Editor Sentinel:—As a native born Australian I have a very special interest in the growth of our Cause in that far-away continent, and am prompted to give the Field opportunity to read these notes of a late conversation with a representative of the work there.

The lady referred to tells me that the first breath of Christian Science reached her from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, about five years ago, through the unearthing, by one or two searchers after "better things," of a copy of Science and Health, an old edition, whose possessor had held it unvalued for years, and who parted with it for a few shillings.

From this copy of our text-book, the work in Brisbane sprang, it being earnestly studied, when a second copy arrived, together with a Quarterly. brought by a lady from England. The study of the Bible Lessons then began, and shortly following this it was found that Mrs. Eddy's works were on sale in Sydney, New South Wales. From that time on orders were sent to and filled from that city, until they were in position to order direct from the Publishing Society in Boston, Mass. "From the first," my informant says, "beautiful healing was done through the reading of Science and Health, there being neither teachers nor practitioners apart from that impersonal one. The work so continued until eighteen moths since, when one of the loyal students took the journey to this country to learn something more of the practical workings of Science. This student went through a class, and on returning, began holding regular service in her own home. The students, now about twenty in number, found they were compelled to look for larger quarters in which to hold their meetings, and that they would need the sum of £120 for rooms, furnishing, piano, etc. As the little band was limited in this world's goods, all being workers for their daily bread, one hundred and twenty pounds seemed a large sum for them to raise, but at the end of two weeks they brought in their tithes, each one placing his or her offering in a large bag made especially of the occasion, so that no one might know what the other gave. When the bag was emptied the collection was just one hundred and twenty pounds.

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